KINDERHOOK – The Town Board reviewed a proposal by Northern Columbia Little League President David Kolb for creating a third little league field at Volunteer Park. Mr. Kolb said the league would pay for the field with its own funds, but it needs the town’s permission to build it.
At the regular meeting Monday, July 9 the board also heard from dog owner Cindy Phillips about the death of her dachshund, which was mauled by a pit bull as she walked her dog on Pine Hall Road. After $9,000 in veterinary bills, Ms. Phillips said, the dog had to be put down and she suffered a bite on her hand that required medical attention.
After talking to the town’s animal control officer, she learned that the pit bull would have to be put down for attacking her dog and she said she had heard from other neighbors about issues with the dog. She also asked the board about leash laws in the town, saying that her dog was on a leash but the other animal was not. “Nothing has been done,” she said of follow-up after the attack in late June.
Ms. Phillips said she worried for the safety of dogs and children walking down that street. “It’s just a violent thing that never should have happened,” she told the board.
Supervisor Pat Grattan asked her to meet with the town’s attorney to discuss further actions that can be taken.
The board also heard a report from Mike Kipp, a former board member, on the progress of the Kinderhook Trail, a multi-use pathway that will go by at the Lindenwald and Van Alen House historic sites. “We are looking forward to making it complete,” said Mr. Kipp, who is now head of the head of the town trail committee.
As for other outdoor activities in the village, Supervisor Grattan said the board would prepare a state environmental review for the new little field the Northern Columbia League wants to build at the park on State Farm Road at their meeting next month.
Mr. Kolb said the park was originally designed to have three fields but the town ended up building only two, while leaving room to build another one. He said the league was trying to be proactive, since league members assume when town moves its offices to the Martin H. Glynn School in Valatie the league will lose the access to the fields at the current town hall in Niverville. The board has not said when the town will move to its new offices in Valatie.
There was some discussion of using the field for the adult softball league, which also plays at the current town hall field. Mr. Kolb said he plays with that league and heard that they were thinking of playing on a field in Greenport. He did stress that he is not part of softball league’s leadership and does not know for a fact where that league will move.
“We are not going to be asking the town for any money,” Mr. Kolb said of the project, that he is estimating could cost about $30,000. He did ask the board to consider letting the league use the fencing that is around the town hall field now when they leave the building.
Supervisor Grattan said the town would do the environmental review and discuss plans for the field. And he emphasized that building a third little league field would not affect other sports groups using the park. “We are not going to be taking away anything from other groups,” he said.
The next town meeting will be Monday August 13 at 7 p.m. in the town hall in Niverville.
To contact reporter Emilia Teasdale email eteasdale@columbiapaper.com.
